Mike Robert Walden

Mike Robert Walden of Raymond, Wash., beloved father, husband, son and brother, died suddenly on July 23, 2025, in Chehalis. He was 46.

He was born on Sept. 23, 1978, in South Bend, Wash., to Robert (Bob) Walden and Janet (Fetters) Walden.

He grew up in Old Willapa and graduated from Willapa Valley High School in 1997. He was a good student who liked school and was a proud member of the state champion Class B football team in 1996, where he played center.

After graduating high school, he attended Lake Washington Institute of Technology and then went on to excel in a variety of jobs.

He worked installing and repairing hot tubs all over western Washington, and he worked off and on at Home Depot for long stretches, working in nearly every department and serving as a trainer for forklift drivers and heading up community service projects.

He held several leadership positions at his jobs, and several employees told him he was the best boss they’d ever had.

In high school he worked at Everybody’s Video & More, where he would meet his future wife, co-worker Marcia (Marcy) Olsen. His co-workers nicknamed him “Precious.” He left Everybody’s after high school and some years later reconnected with Marcy, who was still working there at the time.

Mike and Marcy were married on Oct. 7, 2006, at Willapa United Methodist Church, and they became proud parents on Oct 18, 2007, with the birth of their first son, Anton (Tony) Robert Walden.

Mike fully embraced fatherhood, taking a hands-on role in changing diapers and doing feedings. He’d had practice in his youth since his baby sister, Katy, was born when he was 10 and he helped with diaper changes and the like.

On Nov 17, 2011, Mike and Marcy welcome their second son, James Michael.

Mike became a rancher when he married Marcy and moved to her family’s homestead, Olsen Timberline Ranch in Raymond. He was a quick study and loved all aspects of ranch life: the cattle, including learning how to birth calves; the mechanics; the haying; and running equipment. He also loved to watch his sons show cattle and hogs and he was a 4-H leader.

As a kid, Mike was his father’s “shadow,” happily pushing his toy mower behind his dad, who was mowing the yard with a push mower. When Bob was working on a four wheel drive pickup, it was high enough off the ground for toddler Mike, in diapers, to sit upright on his bottom underneath the truck while his dad lay on his back tinkering.

Mike learned his mechanical skills from his dad, a retired truck mechanic at Weyerhaeuser, and was known as “Mr. Fix It.” He was very visual and could look at something and figure out how it worked. He had a lot of interests and deep knowledge in many areas.

There’s even a family saying for the father’s and son’s broad skillset: “Where there’s a Walden, there’s a way.”

Mike was good at finishing projects and was a giving, generous, community-minded person who would help anyone in need – be it fixing a stranger’s flat tire, helping people move, or helping his sister Katy and a friend build a ramp to Mike’s parent’s house when his father became ill last year.

He touched many lives, and many people respected and loved him. For Marcy, he was her rock, there for her always.

Mike made beautifully written, heartfelt tributes to his parents on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Janet was especially touched by his most recent heartfelt Mother’s Day card, and asked him, “How did you learn to write so well?” He replied, “I learned it from you.” Meaning he learned to write what was in his heart.

He recounted to his dad last year in a lengthy Father’s Day text about a school assignment to write about a hero. While other kids wrote about Michael Jordan, Mike said he wrote about his dad, who taught him how to fix and make things and taught him to be calm and positive. “Dad you are my hero because I want to be like you!” Mike wrote.

Mike had a great sense of humor and was full of life. He loved to laugh and to make people laugh. He also enjoyed getting up to hijinks and had a certain grin that always betrayed when he was about to get up to some shenanigans.

He loved comedy shows like the Simpsons and The Three Stooges, and the entire Alien movie franchise. He also loved music, and his favorite bands included AC/DC and Metallica.

He also enjoyed karaoke and had the good voice to back it up. In fact, his wedding reception featured karaoke, and he sang AC/DC’s ‘Highway to Hell’ and dedicated it to his new bride.

He loved building – and souping up -- RC cars and having RC tank battles with his sons. He also loved hunting and mushroom picking.

The family enjoyed numerous vacations, including to Disneyland, Disneyworld, Massachusetts and Key West, Fla.

Mike had a love of cooking – his favorite was making Thanksgiving dinner – and he founded and co-owned a restaurant, the Hungry Heifer, in Raymond. Opened in 2022, it was a quick success, but he sold his interest last year so he could focus on helping Marcy, who had developed health issues.

Mike always liked to research and understand things, and he impressed doctors with the knowledge he quickly gained about her health issues.

Mike is survived by his wife, Marcy, sons Tony and James, parents Bob and Janet Walden, sister Katy (Tyler) Justus of Vancouver, sister-in-law Katherine Marie Smith, and nieces and nephews Finley and Harper Justus, and Trevor (Madison) and Owen Olsen.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Geneva and Pete Fetters and Susie and Bob Walden, and aunt Susie Carey.

A funeral is set for Saturday, Aug. 2 at 11 a.m. at Willapa United Methodist Church in Ramond, at 969 Willapa First St., Raymond, Wash., 98577.

Memorials may be made to: xxxx

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